State Benefits
If you meet the requirements, you can apply for housing benefit from the Dutch government. Since the first of January 2006, the housing benefit has become known as the Rent Benefit. The main aim of the benefit is to enable people with a low income to afford a place to live. In order to qualify for the benefit you:
- must be over eighteen
- must be considered by the government as meeting the criteria of their housing policy 'volkshuisvestingsbeleid'
- must be living in a rented property
- must be the tenant of an independent property (e.g. an apartment)
- must be registered in the municipal database as a tenant of this particular property
If you qualify you should apply for the benefit by filling in an application form at the Tax and Customs office. If your application is successful, your benefit will be calculated based on your personal income and the personal income of any family members or partners who live with you, as well as the cost of the rent and any running costs. The size of your family, and the number of children you have, will also be taken into account if these family members live with you.
Rent benefit limits, July 2007 until June 2008:
Type of Benefit | Amount |
Basic rent for singles, under 65 years of age | € 202,95 |
Basic rent for families, under 65 years of age | € 202,95 |
Basic rent for singles, over 65 years of age | € 201,13 |
Basic rent for families, over 65 years of age | € 199,32 |
Quality discount limit / 'kwaliteitskortingsgrens' (the income limit at which you stop being entitled to rent benefit equal to 100% of your rental costs) | € 349,49 |
Deduction cut-off limit for 1/2 person households ( the limit at which you stop being entitled to rent benefit equal to 75% of your rental costs) | € 491,64 |
Deduction cut limit for three or more person households | € 526,89 |
Maximum liberalised rent limit | € 621,78 |
